Who Are You, Really?
by innocence.lxst
Summary: Litho has lived in the "murder capital of the world" for her entire life; but now that she's a budding teen and starting to live in the nightlife, she's become more exposed to boys like David. After meeting him and his brothers one night, he's more than determined to make her the group's newest member. Will she make it out of Santa Carla alive, or become the Lost Boys' next victim?
1. Chapter 1

It was _late_. That's about all she knew. She had forgotten to wear her watch, and she didn't have her pager on her either. A sigh left her lips as she sat up from the sand beneath her.

"Fuck..." She breathed, feeling that sand had made it's way into her shirt and even her bra. It was _too_ damn late to deal with this. Her mind was spinning from the alcohol she had consumed earlier. She could barely see the stars above her; the moon, however, was big and shining over the waves in front of her. Litho sighed and rubbed her throbbing head. Man, she was hungover. How did she even get on the beach?

She couldn't remember; and it didn't matter anyways.

Litho looked to her right and reached for her purse. Damn, she was surprised no one had stolen it. Not that there was anything really valuable in it. She chuckled to herself quietly and put the bag over her shoulder. It was covered in sand from laying next to her for however long she had been asleep. Litho sighed loudly as she began to slowly stand up; it was hard to keep her balance in her hungover stupor. She nearly fell flat on her ass back into the sand beneath her; the thought making her laugh out loud.

"Something funny, beautiful?"

She heard a voice from behind her, making Litho spin around to see who had snuck up on her. She didn't even hear their footsteps coming up to her.

A tall, blonde haired man stood a few feet from her with a smirk on his lips. He looked very, well, rebellious. He wore nothing but black, much like her, and had a long trench coat enveloping his pale form.

"The fuck, man?" Litho spat at him, backing away. "Don't sneak up on me like that, you prick!"

The man laughed a bit and continued to look at her with a smirk. "Hey, sorry. I wanted to make sure you were okay. I saw a chick passed out on the beach...I thought you were injured."

Litho rolled her eyes and scoffed a bit, dusting the sand off of her pants. "I'm not injured...Just a bit hungover." She corrected him, glancing at the cigarette that rested behind his ear. She smiled. "Do you have one of those to spare?"

He nodded, chuckling a bit. "The girl who just called me a prick wants one of my cigarettes?" He fumbled in his coat pocket for a bit, pulling out a box of cigarettes and a lighter. He offered a single cigarette in his fingers to her, smiling. Litho smiled back and took a few steps towards him and bent down, taking the cigarette in her lips and waited for him to light it. He did, and she stood back up.

She took a long inhale of the tobacco, groaning in pleasure as she then exhaled. Litho continued to smoke as the man continued to talk to her. She wasn't uncomfortable around this strange person; he seemed somewhat normal and she didn't think he'd hurt her. He _did_ just offer her a cigarette, after all.

"So, are you from around here?" He asked, lighting a cigarette for himself and taking a drag from it. "I haven't seen you before. What's your name?"

"Litho." She said, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "And, yeah, I live somewhat near the boardwalk. I have a long walk ahead of me..." She laughed, looking towards the direction of her house.

"Well, _sweetheart_, you're in no shape to walk home by yourself." He said, putting the lighter and box back in his pocket. "My name's David. Look, I can give you a ride home, if you want. I don't want to see a pretty thing like you out on her own this late." David smiled, taking another inhale of his cigarette. "Litho's a pretty name. Mean something?"

Litho nodded, seeing the mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Yeah. My mom used to be an artist...she named me after the lithograph method of printing."

David laughed a bit, finishing his cigarette. He leaned down and put it out in the sand; still keeping eye contact with the girl in front of him. "Very unique, sweetheart. I like it." He then stood back up and stepped a bit closer to her. "Is your hair naturally that colour?"

It was a dumb question. Litho looked towards her hot pink, curly hair that fell over her breasts. "No," She laughed. "It's freshly dyed though. My natural is a gross blonde colour. Not very pretty."

David shook his head, still smiling. "I'm sure it's pretty on you. I like the pink though; you don't se a lot of girls around here with cool hair." He looked right at her and offered her his gloved hand. "So, what do you say? Want me to drive you home?"

Litho thought for a moment before answering. Her mother had always warned her about strangers; and how men preyed on helpless girls. Her gut was telling her it was probably okay. But could she really trust him?

She nodded and took his hand, feeling the cold leather of his gloves against her skin.. "Yeah, that would be great. Thanks...Sorry if it's too much trouble."

"Not at all. It's always nice meeting new people." David chuckled as he turned around and began walking to the street a few metres away. "My bike is up here. Come on." He said, holding her hand tightly and leading her to his bike.

Litho felt a twinge of worry as she heard him. "Your bike? You don't have a car?"

David sighed, looking back to make sure she was following him. She was, albeit very slowly and carefully. He remembered she was hungover. "I have a motorcycle, yeah. Got a problem with it?"

"No!" Litho blurted out, not wanting to offend him. "No, I don't have a problem with it. I've...just never been on one."

It was the truth. She had heard horrible stories of accidents involving motorcycles; she had always been wary of them. She thought about faking it, saying she felt better and could probably walk. But, David seemed so nice and she wanted to get to know him better.

David laughed at her response as they approached the street. "Alright then. I just wanted to make sure." He said playfully, tugging on her hand a bit before letting go and walking up to his bike. He sat down on it and motioned for her to sit behind him. Litho hesitated, but carefully sat down behind him. David smiled, feeling her curves against him as she held onto him from behind. "Where do you live?" He asked, starting up the bike.

"I'll just tell you where to go. Head towards the boardwalk." Litho instructed, pointing ahead of them to the boardwalk.

But, before they could even start to move, three other boys on bikes pulled up to them. Litho nearly screamed from the suddenness of it all, but only clung to David tighter.

"David! Where the hell have you been?!" The boy with the long, dark hair asked, putting his feet down and stalling his bike. "We've been waiting."

"I went to go find food for us, but I found _her_ passed out on the beach. She looked hurt and she needs a ride home." David said, looking back at Litho. "Boys, this is Litho."

They three other boys looked at her closely and smirked. She knew they were staring at her figure. Litho had always been bigger than most girls, and she knew it. Her hourglass figure got in the way, people sometimes calling her fat. She didn't care though; she knew her curves were beautiful.

"Litho," David said, causing the girl to snap out of her thoughts. "These are my brothers. That's Marko," He pointed to the blonde boy wearing a colourful jacket. "Dwayne," He pointed to the one with long, dark hair. "Paul," He pointed to the other blonde boy. "and the little guy behind Dwayne is Laddie." A small, long haired boy looked out from behind Dwayne with a wide grin. Litho smiled, seeing how little he was. She relaxed a bit, now knowing that David was close to these boys.

"Nice to meet you." She said, forcing a smile onto her lips.

"She's hungover and needs a ride. I'm taking her home; you're welcome to come along." David said, revving up his bike with a smirk. "Ready?" He said, looking back at the girl behind him. Another nod was all he got in response. David then sped off forwards towards the boardwalk, leaving the boys behind them.

"Should we follow them?" Marko asked, looking towards the boardwalk with a hint of concern.

Dwayne smirked, revving up his bike as well. "Yeah, lets follow them. We don't want David to hog all the food for himself."

The boys laughed loudly and quickly sped off as well, following David and keeping a close eye on the two. David and Litho stayed at the front of the group; Litho guiding David and leading him to her house. It was about five minutes from the boardwalk, in a rather isolated neighborhood. The houses were upper-middle class, not too big, but just the right size for a family. After a few minutes of speeding down the roads, they came to a medium sized house that seemed to be abandoned. The only sign of life from it was the gently flickering porch light.

"This is it?" David said, putting his feet down to stall the bike after pulling up to the house's driveway. He was expecting something much nicer looking. Litho laughed a bit, getting down from his motorcycle.

"Yeah, I know it's not much. But, it's all we really need." Litho said as she heard the other boys approaching her house as well. "It's just me and my mom. We don't need a really nice house, to be honest."

David nodded, smiling. "Trust me, I get it." He laughed, looking towards the other boys as they stopped next to David. They were all looking at Litho with curious gazes and smiles.

Litho began to feel a strange feeling in her gut; something was telling her to go inside and to do it fast. She forced a smile and held her purse a bit tighter.

"Thanks for the ride home, David. It was nice meeting you and your...brothers." Litho said, smiling at David. He flashed her a playful grin, making her blush a bit.

"No problem. Maybe I'll see you on the boardwalk sometime?" He asked, causing the others to laugh a bit and whisper to each other.

"Yeah, totally!" Litho said happily, then looked back to her house. She saw a light on the second story turn on; she knew it was her mother. Litho sighed. "Shit, I have to go now. My mother is gonna kill me. See you guys later!"

Litho turned and walked up to her front porch; she carefully opened the door and snuck inside, leaving the boys outside.

"Damn..." Marko said, causing David to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "She's got some nice curves! Why didn't you take her?"

"She would've fed us for like a week. I bet she would've tasted so damn good!" Dwayne chimed in, looking at David disappointingly.

David only smiled in return. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But I think she has potential..." David chuckled as he licked his lips. "These things take time, boys. I promise you, in no time at all, she'll be ours."

The others howled loudly with laughter before David revved his bike. "Come on, we need to find soemthing we can actually eat before the sun comes up. I'm starving."

The boys nodded and followed their leader as they rode on their bikes back to the boardwalk, seeking their next meal.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Litho Marie, do you have any idea what time it is?!"_

The grating voice of her mother called from the upstairs are of the house, making Litho cringe. Her head pounded from the sudden assault on her ears as she walked up the stairs. "Mom, I forgot my watch and my pager. I didn't think I'd need them." She replied, coming up the stairs to see her mother standing in her bedroom doorway. She looked mad and as if she had been up waiting for her this entire time. Litho sighed.

"It's nearly five in the morning, Litho! I've been worried sick! Where the hell were you?!" Her mother shouted, stepping closer to her daughter.

"I went to that club, remember?" Litho said, rubbing her head as she leaned against the wall of the hallway. "I don't remember what happened that much...But I woke up on the beach." Before her mother could panic, Litho shook her head when she saw her mother's mouth fall open. "I wasn't hurt! I was just really hungover."

Litho turned and walked to her room; her mother following her closely.

"You've been drinking! I should've known!" Her mother shouted, resting her face in the palm of her hand as she sighed. "And who were those boys that you came home with?" Her mother kept questioning her as she entered her bedroom. Litho sat her purse down on her bed and went to her dresser, looking for her pyjamas.

"Oh, one of them offered me a ride home. They're all brothers I think."

"Litho, you could've gotten killed! Or raped, or even-"

"Mom, one of them was nice to me! I mean, yeah, I was creeped out at first by him; but he was nice! He offered me a cigarette." Litho cut her off as she pulled her pyjamas out of her drawer.

"He still could've hurt you! Litho, I know you're growing up but you need to be more aware. There are people out here that will hurt you!" Her mother sighed and started to walk back to her bedroom. "I-I cant do this right now, Lith. I have to go to work in a few hours. We'll talk about this when I get off." Litho nodded in response, beginning to take her shirt off. "Goodnight, mom."

With that, her mother went to bed and shut Litho's door behind her.

Litho groaned loudly, undressing herself and getting ready to finally go to sleep. She knew that she would be sleeping for most of the day, if not, the whole day entirely. Her mother didn't get off until seven, which could leave her time to sleep and even, sneak out if she wanted to. Just to stall the lecture she would be getting from her mother. Litho laughed to herself, sitting down on the edge of her soft- although, messed up- bed. The damned thing hadn't been made in at least half a year. Litho didn't really see a point in making beds anyway.

She buried herself underneath her blankets and stared up at her ceiling for a moment. Her mother's words echoed in her head.

_Maybe she's right...I need to be more careful._

Litho sighed; she couldn't believe she was agreeing with her mother. But, still, she didn't see any reason_ not_ to trust David. When she felt threatened, she could usually tell by the vibe she got from people. She didn't feel anything bad from David...right?

Litho then pushed the thoughts aside as she felt her head begin to pound again. Her body needed rest. She turned off the lamp that sat on the table beside her bed, then closed her eyes and finally fell asleep.

* * *

It was nearing sunrise as David and his brothers were finishing off the rest of a couple they had found wandering the beach a few hours ago. The boys didn't even attempt to trick these new victims or mess with them; they were too hungry to attempt it. All that mattered was getting the blood they so desperately craved.

The couple barely had time to scream before the group of young vampires ambushed them from the shadows. David was the first to attack, of course. After the others were sure it was okay to pounce next, they did with full force. The female was the first to die, then the male followed suit shortly after. There was, like always, a lot of carnage.

David sat near the water as he wiped the blood from his pale face, looking out into the water with a pleased smile. The other boys were still feeding from the corpses that laid behind David. He could hear Marko laughing with the others, then heard someone stand and approach him.

"So, David," Paul said as he sat next to David; blood covering his lips. "About this girl we found..."

David gave him a questioning glare. "Yeah, what?"

"You're not getting attached to her or anything, are you?" Paul chuckled, causing David to as well.

"Why would you think that?"

"You two were sure acting like a couple!" Marko chimed in, standing up as well. "I wonder how Max would react to this?"

David rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh as Marko stood as well. "I really don't see why he'd care. Just because he's the 'oh-so-powerful' head vampire, I don't think he's gonna care about Litho having the hots for yours truly." He flashed a mischievous grin at his brothers and they knew he was being serious.

"Really, David, you don't think he's gonna care? I think you're sadly mistaken." Dwayne was the next to chime in, wiping the blood from his lips and sat next to David.

"Vampires aren't meant to mix well with humans." Paul said, looking towards Marko for his opinion.

"He's right, Dave. I don't think this whole thing is a good idea. What if she tries to kill us?"

David shook his head, giving them a stern look and then looked to his gloved hands. "She doesn't_ know _what we are yet. She doesn't have to yet...She doesn't need to." He looked towards the sky that was turning rosy pink from the now rising sun. "Shit, boys, we need to get back to the cave." The others nodded in response to their leader and looked towards the drained bodies of the slaughtered couple. They would leave them for the police to find later this morning. God knew this town was used to the countless murders now.

The vampires walked over to their bikes and started them up before riding them off towards their cave near the end of the beach.

* * *

Litho awoke the next afternoon, her head still pounding from last night. She sat up groggily in bed then looked at her clock which read 6_:27._ Her mother wouldn't be home for at least another hour. Litho smirked; she had time to get ready and hopefully sneak out again. She stood from her bed and walked into her bathroom to take a shower, knowing it was probably in her best interest to get ready as quick as she could. She knew the beach was quite a far walk and didn't want to run into her mother.

She turned on the faucet, letting the water get hot while she undressed from her pyjamas. Litho looked at herself for a moment in the mirror, eyeing the curves and smiling as she gently poked her stomach. She loved her body; She was big and beautiful and she knew it.

Litho then stepped into the warm shower and sighed contently. The water felt good on her pale skin as she began to wash her hair. The soap in her hands and hair was becoming pink from the fresh dye in her hair. She laughed a bit, continuing to wash her hair. As she was rinsing the soap from her hair, Litho heard a laugh from behind her. It wasn't a quiet one, either. It was clear and it sounded as if it was right in her ear. She turned around and looked out of the shower curtain, but saw no one. Litho tried to take her mind off it; she knew she had an over-active imagination at times. She tried to focus on getting ready before her mother got home, hoping to distract herself from what she had heard.

Litho groaned with annoyance as she went back to washing her hair. It was from her hangover and she knew it. It was just her mind playing tricks on her. Right?

Litho finished showering a few minutes later and turned the water off and began to step out, reaching for her towel. She dried herself off then wrapped the towel around her body, walking down to the kitchen downstairs to look for something to drink. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water, noticing that they were out of soda. Litho would remember to pick some up on her way home. Looking around the kitchen, she didn't see a note from her mother laying around anywhere. If her mother had to work overtime or run errands after work, she'd usually leave Litho a note to tell her. Litho sighed; it would've made getting ready a bit easier if she had more time to spare.

She then had an idea. Litho sat her bottle of water down and grabbed a notepad and pen from the drawer in the cupboard, starting to write a note. She knew in her heart her mother probably wouldn't fall for it. But, they did actually need to get a few things from the store. Litho didn't really want to mess with it; but, it would give her an excuse to stay out later.

_'Mom, we were out of soda...went to pick some up. _

_I'll be back later tonight. Don't worry about me walking back home by myself._

_If I see David and the boys again, he'll probably give me a ride. _

_Love you.__-L'_

Litho knew it probably wasn't a good idea to tell her mother that she would be getting a ride home from David again. It wasn't a lie though. Litho knew there was a strong possibility of them meeting again. She smiled, then walked back upstairs to finish getting ready.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set over Santa Carla; the sun now barely visible over the horizon. It was almost nightfall, which some would say was a dangerous time to be out on the boardwalk. Litho was excited though.

She had chosen to wear only a black sweatshirt and some acid-washed shorts with tights underneath them. It got cold here at night and she didn't want to deal with that. Her pink hair was teased and voluminous, looking a bit like a tangled mess of candy floss that had been sprayed with copious amounts of hairspray. Litho gave herself one last look over in the mirror downstairs before leaving. She tweaked her eyeliner a bit, thinking it looked crooked. Knowing she didn't have a lot of time, she left it and slipped her shoes on, which were black ballerina flats.

Litho made sure to grab the spare house key on the kitchen table before walking outside and locking the front door back. When she stepped outside, she could already smell the ocean water from a few miles away. She grinned as she put the key in her back pocket. Before she began her walk to the boardwalk, Litho noticed the newspaper on their doorsteps. She didn't bother to pick it up; she only stared at the front page article's title.

"Another couple found slain near boardwalk..." She read it aloud, scoffing a bit to herself. "Oh, boy. Mom will just _love_ to hear about that."

Not wanting to dwell on either subject, Litho began to walk towards the direction of the boardwalk. She knew it would take her at least twenty minutes or more to walk down there. She sighed loudly and stuffed her hands into her pockets. She really didn't feel like walking all the way there alone, but, at least she could walk now. Her hangover had certainly subdued itself since last night.

Litho then heard the sound of motorcycles in the distance. She immediately thought of David. She had a feeling in her stomach that maybe, just maybe, it could have been them. It was still pretty early though and she knew most people didn't arrive at the boardwalk until much later. Litho looked towards the direction of where the motorcycles were, hearing them fade and go in the opposite direction of her. She sighed. Damn, she almost wished it was them. Litho cringed, then went against herself. No; it was easier to walk alone anyway.

When she heard the motorcycles again, Litho felt worried. Was it them? Were they going to her house?

She smiled, hoping to herself that they would find her and give her a ride-

"_Ugh_! What is wrong with me today?!" Litho said aloud as she cringed again at her own thoughts. She wasn't the type of person to fall in love. But, damn, David was pretty captivating. Her cheeks turned pink as she thought of him. Litho felt around her pocket for her lighter and cigarettes. This time she had actually remembered to grab them. She pulled one out and lit it, taking a drag from it. Litho was glad she was walking alone; it would give her time to prepare herself and think of what to say to David.

But, unknown to her, she was being watched from a far by someone she knew all too well.


	3. Chapter 3

Once the sun had fully set, David and the others stood near the entrance of the boardwalk. The entire group had chosen to come out tonight; Star even chose to come with the boys and that was a rarity in itself. Star usually wasn't one to come with the boys on their little outings. That is, unless David wanted her too; and tonight was one of those nights. She clung to David as he stalled his bike, thinking to himself silently. He sat looking through the sea of people that had flooded the boardwalk. Once the sky went dark, the partying began. He knew it wouldn't be that difficult to find Litho in the mess of people. David continued to stare intensely into the boardwalk and his brothers took notice.

"What if she doesn't come?" Marko asked, breaking the silence and smiling a bit as he balanced himself on his bike. "What if she's still hungover and can't walk?" He laughed, picturing the poor girl barely able to keep her footing on the boardwalk. It would be so easy to take her. _Too_ easy, in fact. David turned to look at him with a look of pride. "She will. I _know_ she will."

"I don't want to sit here all night waiting for _Pinkie_ to show up." Dwayne said matter-of-factly as he revved his bike. "Can we just meetup later after we find the little brat...Maybe, take her for a ride?"

The idea made David grin with wicked intent. He looked towards Dwayne and nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'll meet you back here with Lith' at around midnight."

"How cliche!" Marko said with a sly grin. "I'm heading to the midway. Laddie, do you wanna come?"

The young boy nodded in response and hopped down off of Dwayne's bike to instead join Marko. Once he was on, they sped towards to midway,barely able to be seen amongst the people.

"David," Star intervened, looking over his shoulder at him. "Is it alright if I come with you to find Litho? I just want to meet her."

At first, David wanted her to run along by herself to leave him and Litho alone. But, an idea came to him that made him chuckle aloud. Oh, he imagined the look on Litho's little face when she saw him with another girl. He could break her, and then build her up again, only then to smash her completely. She was putty in his hands and he knew it.

"Of course, Star. You two will get along _so_ perfectly." He replied with a laugh, looking towards Paul. "Me and her are gonna stick around pretty close. You two gonna head off?"

"Since Marko fled off with Laddie, I'm gonna head to the beach I guess." Paul sighed loudly and rolled his eyes; he knew he didn't have anything better to do and he certainly didn't want to get in the way of David's hunting. Star would be there, after all. Dwayne nodded to Paul with a smirk. "I'm going too...Let's see if I can scavenge anything. Tell Pinkie I said hello, 'Dave."

"Don't get too crazy without me, boys." David flashed him a smile at his brother's ambition. In a way, he was almost jealous that he couldn't tag along to look for fresh food to save for later tonight. But, David had other things on his mind right now; _much_ more important things.

* * *

Litho kept a steady pace as she approached the boardwalk; her arms crossed over her chest in an attempt to still her racing heart. She could already hear the blaring music coming from the concert stage near the centre of the boardwalk. Her legs were still sore from last night. She couldn't remember what she had exactly done to warrant the pain though. Her mind was completely hazed from the alcohol she consumed last night. A groan left her lips as she entered the boardwalk; the people starting to make her nervous. Litho was not in the mood or state of mind to deal with them. She instead used her remaining strength and willpower to focus on finding David. She would be okay as long as she found him.

She maneuvered her way through the crowd of people that swarmed around her, keeping her arms tucked against her self protectively. Her body ached from lack of sleep and her throat burned from the alcohol. She was practically a walking corpse. Her body needed more rest. She thought about turning around and going back home, But, she would have to deal with the wrath of her mother again. Just the thought made Litho nauseous. She knew that is wasn't in her best interest. She would try to find the boys as quickly as possible and then go back home. Easy, right?

Oh, god, how she was wrong. This was a mistake! Her legs were like irons as she tried to walk towards the outskirts of the boardwalk. She knew David and his pack would likely be hiding out somewhere untouched by people and tucked away. Approaching a building, she pressed herself against it for support. Her world was spinning. She usually didn't feel like this after a hangover. Her body was used to being abused and overworked...This wasn't normal. Something was seriously wrong.

Litho let out a strangled breath, pulling herself away from the wall and trying to walk towards a more isolated part of the boardwalk. She knew people were watching her, but she reassured herself that it was probably normal for there to be drunk- No, _sickly_ _hungover_ people here. What was wrong with her? She had felt fine this morning, and even felt fine a few hours ago when she was getting ready. As soon as she started looking fro David though, she had felt ill.

Her ankles nearly rolled underneath her every few steps she took. God, maybe she should just go home. Litho stopped her thoughts dead in their tracks and found herself walking towards the set of stairs that led down to the beach beneath the boardwalk. She needed to sit down for a few minutes. The whole night was hers to find David; a few minutes wouldn't kill her chances.

As she was getting closer and closer to the staircase, her hand reaching for the guardrail, Litho heard the familiar purr of motorcycles in the distance. She couldn't tell how many there were or how far away they were. The sound of it alone made a rush of adrenaline flow through her blood; causing her to get a bit of energy. Maybe it wasn't them? Regardless, she needed to prepare herself anyways. It never hurt to get an early start on things.

Her fingers grasped the cool metal of the railing, steadying herself against the stairs. She sighed, feeling a bit of relief with something to hold on to. The nausea in her stomach wasn't getting better, much to her annoyance. Litho leaned against the stairs as she heard the motorcycles approaching. Knowing they were close, she adjusted her ratted hair, making sure she looked presentable despite her current state.

* * *

David and Star had been prowling the boardwalk for sometime now and were starting to get tired. Star laid her head on Davids shoulder as they rode along the edge of the beach. David let out a growl of frustration; he was eager to find Litho and to find her fast.

"I don't think she's coming, David..." Star said, lifting her head and looking around. "I think we would've seen her by now if she was here."

"I know she's here!" David snapped, pulling his bike over and parking it near the seawall. He didn't want to admit he was getting extremely annoyed, especially to Star. She could already tell though despite the fact he hadn't really said anything. She could feel how tense he was though as she held onto him from behind.

When the bike was parked, Star stood and looked out to the sea. The light of the moon was the only thing illuminating the water besides the lights from the boardwalk. She could see a few people swimming in the ocean; their forms visible through the black water below. Star sighed, wishing she could be there instead rather than up here. Suddenly, she felt David's strong hand on her shoulder, causing her to whip around to face him. The smirk on his lips just oozed trouble. "C'mon, Star. I found her." He whispered, pulling her close and pressing her frame against his. Closer than usual, actually. Star felt her cheeks flush as David casually pulled her along the boardwalk; a few feet away, she could see a mess of tangled, curled pink hair in the distance.

"Is that her?" Star asked, pointing to the girl in the distance. David turned to look in the direction she was pointing. His blue eyes gleamed with mischeif as they came across the girl he had been hunting this whole time. Poor, little Litho sitting on the stairs, probably half conscious at this point. The sight made David chuckle aloud as him and Star ventured closer to her.

"Yeah, that's her alright."

* * *

Litho sat on the bare, concrete stairs that lead down to the sand of the beach. The rough ground starting to make indents in her bare legs as she looked out to the ocean. She almost wanted to go down into the water and leave David behind. To just forget everyone and everything and to feel the water swallow her. She wondered, though, if David could swim. And better yet, if he would maybe swim with her one night soon. The thought made Litho blush, but it was quickly yanked away from her by her insecurity. She was never one to go to beaches. Swimsuits were an obstacle that was far too difficult to deal with. Coupled with the fact that David seemed like the type of guy who preferred, well, girls in bikinis, Litho didn't want to start any of that just yet.

She sighed, turning her attention from the water back to the boardwalk. The water was nearly black in the moonlight, except for the white of the seafoam as the waves hit the beach's shore. Maybe when the boys were done with her, she could take a quick swim? It was a nice idea, although she didn't want to get her clothes wet.

"_Hey_! _Litho_!"

As she was in the middle of her thoughts, She heard a familiar and rough voice shout out to her. It immediately made her jump and she had to take a minute to catch her breath. Litho looked around from just who the voice came from- Although, she already _did_ know who it was. How could she forget?

Litho gazed over the boardwalk and looked for that familiar head of blonde hair. She tried to ignore the sick feeling in her stomach; blaming it on anxieties and her usual hangover. She sighed, not able to find him or any of the boys for that matter. Litho stood weakly, her legs shaking and telling her she needed more rest. Ignoring it, she did a one-eighty and nearly fainted when she noticed David was standing a mere few metres behind her. She was just about to shout something back at him for daring to sneak up on her again; but, then she noticed the girl next to him.

She was slender with sunkissed skin and a mess of cocoa brown curls enveloping her seemingly natural face. To put it simply, she was the perfect opposite of Litho. Who the hell was she?

Litho could only stare in confusion -and damned if she would ever admit, _heartbreak_\- as tears filled her eyes. Tears of hatred and tears of betrayal that she knew she couldn't help. Knowing that it would ruin her makeup and that she didn't want David to see her cry, she quickly dabbed her tears away on the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Oh, how she tried to push the jealous thoughts away, but they wouldn't budge!

As the two approached, Litho looked for signs that they were maybe more than 'just friends'. David's arm was tightly wrapped around the girl's shoulder, but she wasn't looking at him hardly at all. She seemed like she was trying to distance herself even. Litho rubbed her forehead in annoyance and confusion; she was not in the mood for this at all.

"I told you not to fucking sneak up on me, David!"

Not the best welcome greeting, she thought. But, it was appropriate given the situation and her mood.

David looked at Litho innocently as he pulled Star a bit closer, causing the girl to gasp.

"Woah, nice to see you too, sweetheart." He laughed, looking her over a few times from head-to-toe. "Did you get enough sleep last night? You don't look so hot, Litho..."

"I slept fine. Who is she?" Litho replied curtly, quickly addressing the source of the tension.

David was shocked by her fearlessness and he could almost smell her jealously. That damned smirk re-manifested onto his pale lips. "This is Star. She's the only girl in our little family." He chuckled, knowing he was adding fuel to the magenta haired girl's fire. "Star, this is Litho."

The other girl stared at Litho, taken a bit back by her appearance. To her defense though, she was much more of David's type in Star's eyes. Star forced a nervous smile, laughing a bit. "Hey there; Nice to meet you...I like your makeup." Star hoped complimenting her would somehow release some tension.

Litho relaxed a bit and smiled, this time a genuine one. "Oh," She laughed a bit. She wasn't one to receive compliments often. "Thank you. It takes me forever, so it's nice when someone says that."

David rolled his eyes, now bored that they had managed to find calm ground with each other. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few dollars. "Listen, Star, Lith' and I need to chat. Go get some food or something." He said as he handed the money to Star. The girl looked confused for a moment but then quickly obeyed, walking off quietly after waving to Litho.

After Star was out of her sight, Litho crossed her arms and shot David a glare. "So, are you two a thing?" God dammit, she hated how jealous she was and she hated to admit it. But, although David was a touchy subject, when it came to him she knew her jealousy couldn't be avoided that easily.

David laughed at the question that he was expecting this whole time. He had no idea she would be eager to talk about it though. This girl had serious guts.

"No, not really. She's just a friend more than anything." David said, watching Litho's shocked expression with delight. "She doesn't really show interest in me."

"_Oh_."

That was the only word Litho could muster up at the moment. She was relieved of course, but also felt a bit bad. "Shit, David, sorry that I jumped to conclusions so quick." She looked to her feet nervously to avoid his stare. Wow, she felt like an idiot.

David smiled and pulled a single cigarette from behind his ear again, slipping it into his mouth and then lighting it. "It's alright. Who wouldn't get that jealous over a guy like me, right?"

Litho rolled her eyes and laughed, shaking her head and causing her curls to bounce. "Oh, god, David...Don't push your luck."

"That's all I ever do, babes." He said before taking a drag of his ciggarette. Litho sighed.

"Got another one of those for me?" She smirked, leaning down and waiting for him to get her one. David nodded and pulled one from the package he kept in his coat, then held it in his fingers for her to take into her mouth. He lit it and she leaned back up, taking a long inhale of the tobacco and sighing happily.

They stood in silence for a few moments, listing to the people around them and the crashing of the waves on the shore. It was peaceful for a moment and Litho thought about everything she had questioned tonight. Again, she pushed the thoughts aside and attempted to reach out to David again.

"So, where are the boys?" She asked, looking around the boardwalk. "I never thought I'd see you all separated again."

David laughed at the question, knowing it was to be expected again. "They usually go off and do their own things when we come here. We usually meet up again in a few hours to go get food..." He smirked, looking at her with playfulness. "But, they knew I had things to do tonight."

Litho nodded. "What do you need to do? Party and go out drinking?"

"No. Not tonight, at least." He replied, shaking his head. "I just wanted to come find you."


	4. Chapter 4

Litho was taken aback by his words for a moment, letting out a nervous and breathy laugh. She shot him a confused smile, raising an eyebrow before speaking. "You've go to be kidding...you are, right?" Litho asked. "You've got a shitload of other things to do around here and you choose to see me?" Litho then began to laugh as she finished the now shortened cigarette David had given her. She flicked it's ashes off one last time before throwing it to the concrete beneath them and stepping over it to put it out.

Out of the blue, she had remembered she actually brought her own pack this time. She wanted another one anyways, but wondered what David would say. Litho reached into the pocket of her shorts, pulling out her packet of cigarettes. She pulled one out, putting it between her lips and then felt around her pockets again. Her smile then fell and her laughter went silent.

"Shit..I forgot my lighter."

"You remembered your pack this time, Lith'?" David chuckled, referring to her cigarettes. Litho smiled and watched him pull out his lighter, offering it to her with a smirk. "You owe me one for giving you one of mine again. Here, doll."

She liked that nickname. Her cheeks grew flushed.

"So generous...yours are better than mine though." Litho remarked with a snarky tone, smirking right back at him. Litho leaned towards him then back again after he had lit her cigarette once again for her. She took a drag from it, then pulled it from her lips; her jarring fuchsia lipstick leaving marks on it. "So...Do you guys come here like, every night or something?"

David laughed at such a cliche question. This girl obviously didn't have much exactly experience with boys. At least, in this sense she didn't. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." He replied, taking a drag of his own cigarette now.

"...Where do you live, anyways?" She asked, quirking one of her thickly filled-in eyebrows at him.

"Why you askin'? You plan to come home with me or something, Litho?" David chuckled, glancing playfully at her as she stared out to the sea. Judging by the tone of his voice, Litho knew exactly what he meant.

She nearly choked on her cigarette at his question when she heard it, coughing out a laugh. "You wish! Come on, David, you should know I'm not that type of girl."

Both of them knew _that_ was a lie.

Going home with boys was nothing new for Litho, and David was just like any other boy she met...at least, she though he was. Litho was always safe, of course, knowing her mother would do nothing less but kill her if she were to find out what she did at night. She didn't know, right? Litho laughed to herself at her mother's blindness. Despite her one and only daughter coming home in the early hours of the morning and reeking of alcohol, smoke, and lust, she remained unaware. Either that, or she chose not to say anything. Litho assumed- thanked her lucky stars, that it was the latter.

"We crash in a cave on the outskirts of town. It's a little ways off the shore but it's easy to get to." David told her as he looked to the direction of the cave in question. "You should stop by sometime, 'Lith. I certainly wouldn't mind...I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind either. We'd love to have some extra company one of these nights." He smirked.

A _cave_?

Their choice of a home shocked her. Surely, there were other, better places to live here. Litho knew, thanks to her mother pushing her to move out, that there were _of course_ better options. She grimaced at her mother's voice echoing in her head. Then, while she was on that train of thought, Litho remembered the note she had left her mother. She wondered if she'd be able to get home before her mother were to find out something was going on. Litho cursed herself silently, she was fucking _nineteen_! It was time to stop worrying about her damned mother. She wanted to get to know David so much more and she'd be damned if anyone got in her way. Especially if said thing was her mother.

Litho thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully.

"...Would tonight be alright?" Litho broke the silence with a sigh. She didn't want to seem needy or desperate; it was the last thing she wanted to seem like in front of a guy like David. "I'm gonna be a little honest with you, David...I don't wanna deal with my mother tonight. I'm sick of her bullshit and I need a break, just for tonight."

David's smirk faded at her sudden, brutal honesty, almost feeling bad for her. _Almost._ David then thought of all the things he could do to her once he got her into the cave. It was all downhill from here. Many doors could be opened if they got to that point in time. He nodded in response. "Sure, sweetheart. I get it, trust me."

Litho relaxed a bit at his generosity, sighing with relief. She had almost expected him to refuse her. "Thanks. Is there any way you could get me home before sunrise?"

David wanted to suddenly laugh aloud at her words; this was just too easy! This couldn't be real. He had to keep a straight face though, no matter how hard it was. Her innocence, although the there wasn't much of it with this girl, wasn't helping at all.

"Yeah, I don't see why not. We'll figure something out, sugar."

They stood in silence for a while until David decided to break it again. "Wanna walk around until the guys come back or something? We could grab a bite and sit on the beach...I don't know." He shrugged, chuckling a bit as he looked out to the ocean before them. David wasn't much for dating. Or, rather, wooing someone into trusting him. Usually it was just, find, hunt, kill; It was an almost too easy system. David knew he could get so much more out of Litho though, and he didn't want to discard her just yet.

It was rather calm; referring to the ocean, at least. People still swarmed the boardwalk and its outskirts. The water probably felt really nice, Litho thought. She cursed herself again for not bringing her bathing suit. But, at the same time, Litho cringed at the thought of wearing a swimsuit.

In public.

_In front of David._

A visible shiver ran through her body. People would stare at her; her body, her stretch marks, her flaws. They could see everything. _David_ could see everything.

Pushing the depressing thoughts aside, Litho tried her best to hide them with a smile. "Sounds good to me. I wish I could swim, though. That water looks really nice tonight." She stared out to the waves with David, watching them crash ashore and pull back into the ocean. Litho almost wished they'd pull her with her.

"Do you have a swimsuit or somethin'?" David asked, turning to her with a mischievous gleam in his icy stare.

Litho shook her head; her crudely styled ringlets swinging along with her head. A strand of them blew in her face thanks to the sea air and she blew them back out of her face with a large sigh. To put it short and sweet, Litho simply whispered, "I'm not really the swimsuit type, to be honest."

"Bullshit." David abruptly said, grinning at her with his cigarette hanging lazily from his lips. "You'd look killer in one...at least to me."

Litho nearly dropped dead then and there when she heard his words, much to David's amusement. He knew exactly what to say to girls like her. They were desperate for reassurance and attention. How sad. His complement was out of pity, really; even though, something in him found this absolutely washed-up girl attractive. Something...He couldn't quite put his finger on it. At least, not now.

Litho didn't know what to say back to him. She stood there, in stunned silence as she watched David stare out at the ocean. He was thinking about something. She internally wished what he was thinking about was her.

David should've been nothing more then well, to put it curtly, a quick fuck to Litho. He was so much more than that though; She _wanted_ him to be more than that. Litho didn't feel that way about boys that often. Sure, she had had a few boyfriends here and there, but nothing had ever really been long term. There were even a few one-night-stands she wished had been more. But, there was nothing like this. Something about him wasn't like the others. At least not in her eyes.

She needed to get these thoughts out of her head and she needed to do it quick.

"Hey, want to go get something to eat? I have some spare cash." Litho finally broke the silence, knowing she needed to listen to herself just this once, for the sake of her mentality. She needed to do something, _anything_, to get her mind off of this tension between them. Whatever kind of tension it was, it was thick in the air and Litho didn't want to be caught up in it for much longer.

"Don't worry about it, doll. Save your money for better cigarettes; I'll get you something to eat." David said before offering his arm to her, wondering if she'd have the guts to take it. He smiled at her, waiting.

Litho hesitated for a moment, lovestruck by his show of affection. To David though, it was more akin to a show of ownership; especially to the boys. Litho latched her own, much tinier arm through his after contemplating it for a moment. It would've been rude not to accept his offer of course, but Litho was still unsure if it was a good idea or not. She wasn't used to boys displaying any other feelings towards her than lust. Her cheeks went flushed and she smiled at David as she felt his grip against her tighten.

* * *

After they had returned, David and Litho sat near the shore of the ocean, choosing to rest on the large, concrete seawall that divided the streets from the sand below. Their legs hung off the edge as they both sat in silence as Litho ate the funnel cake that David had bought her. She was careful not to get powered sugar on her solid black sweatshirt as she ate; trying to stick her head out as far as she could, without looking like an idiot, as she took bites of her food.

Pausing for a moment, Litho wondered what David thought of her eating in front of him. The stereotype of 'fat girls loving food' echoed in her mind every time she purchased or ate food in public. That's probably why it was a rarity for her to do such things.

_'I'm not fat. I'm just curvy.',_ Her inner voice retaliated against her insecure thoughts. Though it did silence them for the moment, she knew her self conscious ideas would return. Litho sighed, taking another bite of her funnel cake.

"How is it, doll?" David asked, breaking the silence between them. Litho was glad he did; she needed to get her mind off of things.

"Its _so_ fucking sweet. I've actually never been able to actually finish one of these damn things." She laughed as she dusted the powered sugar off of her fingers on her tights. They were white, so she didn't care if she got a little bit of the sugar on them. "Maybe I'm just 'masochistic' like that...I enjoy them at first but then the sugar makes me sick."

David chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?" His voice was laced with something that Litho couldn't quite put her finger on. She blushed at his words, looking down at her thighs to hopefully hide it. She laughed nervously.

"Hah...I guess not." Litho said before she stood up, holding her funnel cake in one hand. She looked around for the nearest wastebasket, seeing one near the stairs that lead down the shore below. She began to walk to it, but not before David shouted something at her from where he remained on the concrete. As she walked away, David watched her hips sway as she walked and noticed just how short her shorts were. He cursed the fact that she had chosen to wear tights tonight. Maybe her coming over wasn't such a bad idea.

"So... what do you need to get from your house for tonight, Lith'?"

Litho laughed under her breath at his question as she threw her funnel cake away. "What's it to you, David?" She retorted back, walking back over to him and sitting down next to him on the seawall's edge. Albeit, she sat just a bit closer this time; maybe, a little bit closer than she'd like to admit.

"I don't know; I guess I'm just curious." David replied, staring at Litho as she chose to stare at the sea instead of him. Something deep inside him ignited at that, but he couldn't tell just what it was. These things tended to happen with the subject of her. All he knew was that it was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Litho laughed aloud at his excuse. "Well, David, they always say curiosity killed the ca- _FUCK_!" She suddenly cursed, feeling her shoe slip from her foot and fall into the sand beneath them. Litho groaned aloud after realizing what she had just done. "Christ...My shoe fell." She said, knowing that David was probably wondering what the cause of her sudden outburst was.

"Need me to get it for you?" David offered as he stood from where he sat, looking down into the banks of the shore for the shoe in question. Litho shook her head in response, looking down to the sand and seeing her shoe. At least she wouldn't have to search for it.

"No, no, no...It's fine! Just give me a sec."

Then, without a second thought, Litho leapt down from the seawall to the beach's shore. She landed in the sand, still on her feet, though pain shot up her legs upon impact. Litho felt around in the sand for her shoe with her bare (with the exception of her tights) foot, then found her black ballerina flat and slipped it back on. She cringed, feeling that sand had found its way into her shoe. Litho sighed, slipping it off again and picking it up to knock the sand out of it before slipping it back on.

"Okay, David, I f-" She gasped loudly and then stumbled back, seeing that David had jumped down after her and was now standing only a few inches behind her. She hadn't even heard him. Litho stared at him in shock for a moment, then smiled and laughed a bit. "Don't sneak up on me like that, you prick." She said playfully, then lightly punched his shoulder.

David smiled in return then stepped a bit closer to her. "Just thought I'd check in on you again, doll."

"Fuck off." Litho laughed, then stared out to the ocean once more. It was something she found herself doing often and she never knew why. She smiled, seeing the moon sparkling brightly over the black waves in front of them. Something about the ocean was calming to her and she never knew why; maybe that's why she loved it so much. It was one of the only calming things that was present in her life.

David watched her as she was entranced by the ocean, feeling that same way he had felt when she had chosen not to stare at him instead before. He knew what the feeling was, but didn't want to admit it to himself. David forced a sly, knowing smile as he spoke to her, hoping he could woo her into looking at him the same way she looked at the sea. "You sure do love the ocean, huh, doll?" He asked, cupping her chin in his gloved hands and turning it so she'd have no choice to face him.

Litho felt her cheeks grow hot as she felt the cold leather of his glove against her skin. She gasped a bit and hoped he didn't hear her. Litho knew he probably did though. Trying to calm herself down, she nodded in response to his question. "Yeah, I've always loved it. I don't swim much though...but you already know why." She said timidly, grinning widely to herself as she avoided David's piercing gaze.

David cocked his head, ignoring her words and choosing to stare at her lips for a moment before snickering. "Litho...do you have braces?"

Her smiled faded at his question; She looked up at him, shocked and a bit nervous that he had noticed.

"...You saw them...?" She asked, feeling a bit embarrassed at the fact that she was nineteen and still had braces. Coupled with the fact that they were pink and had been that colour since she was sixteen. She was surprised he noticed them before, honestly. Maybe he had and just chosen not to say anything?

"Lemme see 'em, sweetheart. Come on." David cooed at her in a sickly sweet tone, making her melt into putty in his hands just as he had planned. Litho slowly opened her mouth a bit wider to let him see her braces. David smiled at the sight. He could at least admit that they were cute.

_But they'd eventually get in the way; in more ways than one._

David smirked at his thoughts, then pulled Litho a bit closer to him with his free hand. The two were nearly pressed right up against each other; so close to it but so far. Litho tried to focus on anything else other than what was happening right now in a vain attempt to keep herself calm once more. It was something else she found herself doing often as well. It seemed that Litho was always trying to keep things calm, wether it be her or the things around her. She sighed aloud and glanced over to the waves _again_, causing David's smirk to falter a bit.

The fuck was this girl's problem?

David wasn't sure how to get her back under his spell again, per se. He searched his mind for things to do, things that would push her over the edge and truly make her his. Litho wouldn't want anyone else but him; She'd pledge her loyalty to him without even realizing it. David knew just how to get under girls' skins; He had had plenty of experience with it. He'd been around a long time and seen many girls, and Litho was nothing new to him.

Whilst Litho was still staring at the beach, David tilted her chin up towards him and flashed her a mischievous grin. His grip on her tightened as he saw her grey eyes meet his.

"Let me see those braces again, sweetheart." He repeated.

She gave him a confused look in reply, trying in vain to cock her head but failing due to his unwavering grip on her. "You've already seen them once. Why again?" Litho smiled as she narrowed her eyeliner caked eyes. She could admit she probably wore more makeup than she should. It made her laugh, really.

"They're cute! Come on, sugar..." David protested; and he mindlessly dug the tips of his gloved nails into her cheeks softly. Litho hesitatingly opened her mouth, rolling her eyes as she let him see once more. That pet name was just too good to not give into. After a few moments, She was about to snap her mouth back shut, knowing by now David would've gotten a good look at them.

But, before she could close her mouth, she felt David roughly pull her forward and crash his lips onto hers. Litho's eyes widened in shock when she first felt his lips upon hers, but she eventually collapsed into the kiss and put her hand against his cheek. _Oh my god, this was finally happening._ She could feel the rough hairs of his stubble against her hand, along with the coolness of his skin against hers. Though after a moment, Litho found herself tangling her hand in his hair, trying to keep him close for as long as she could. She wasn't quite sure what to do in the situation, to be honest; most of the kisses she shared with other guys were nothing short of rough, albeit _violent_. This was, of course, so much different.

Part of her _did_ love David...She could at least admit that much to herself. Truthfully, she wanted to hold him here forever. It didn't matter if time had felt as if it had just stopped for the two of them. Litho remained still as she held him there, trying to comprehend what was happening. She had of course had guys make moves on her; it was a common occurrence for her. But, for some reason, everything was different with David. It felt like her first time all over again. So, this is what those sappy songs her mother always listened to were talking about.

To David, on the other hand, this was no different than any of the other girls he had successfully wooed into the palms of his hands. He knew just what to do and he needed to do it quick.

Litho was drowning in their embrace; She could hardly keep her footing, even though David did have his arms around her waist. She didn't even care that he was most likely sneaking a feel of her curves. Besides, it's not like it hadn't happened before.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp jolt of pain shoot through her mouth, and she instinctively pulled back with a loud hiss. The assault was enough to make her almost lose her footing and fall into the sand beneath her.. The surge of stinging and harsh pain was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Pausing for a moment and trying to will away the pain before she spoke, she looked up to David with a confused expression. He had to hold back a chuckle at her reaction; her cheeks were still flushed and he could see the tears welling up her her makeup caked eyes. Shit, it stung!

"...What the fuck was that?" Litho asked, covering her mouth as she tasted warm, metallic blood on her tongue.

David, without missing a beat, came up with a believable excuse for what had happened. "It was probably your braces, sweetheart; I felt them poke me a few times too."

The explanation made sense to Litho; she wouldn't one to argue with David, anyways.. She paused for a moment, reassessing in silence what the hell had just happened again.

"Oh..Sorry about that." Litho kept her eyes averted from David, licking against the wound on the inside of her lip. She could still taste the irony blood that leaked from it. The cut was still throbbing against her tongue; she flinched each time she took a breath in, feeling the air against it. Had her braces really been able to cause that much damage? Litho couldn't recall her braces ever cutting her like that before. Even if they had, how bad did they hurt David? He didn't seem to be in any pain at all. At that thought, Litho raised her eyes to meet his. "...David, are you bleeding? Are you okay?"

David was shocked at first, albeit just like she was earlier at his words. Why'd she care about him?

Not knowing what exactly to do, David abruptly threw his arm around the girl near him. Hopefully, he thought, it would cover just how long he had paused before speaking. David didn't want this chick knowing she had such a strong affect on him. "Hey, don't let it bother you, Lith'. It's no big deal; I'm fine." He laughed.

There was silence again; that same, damned silence that always lingered thickly between them. Litho still was much too confused and embarrassed to try to recover a conversation. David kept his arm relaxed around her, barely holding the girl against him as they stood. To the common outsider, the two did like a couple.

In their silence, David glanced up to a nearby clocktower on one of the many storefronts in the boardwalk that they could still see from where they stood on the beach.

_11:52_

Damn, time had already gone by quick between them; David knew the boys would be here to meet them any minute. He then looked to Litho, who was still clinging onto his side. "Hey, you still need to get stuff from your place right?" He asked, finally breaking the quiet, save for the distant sound of the tide rushing to shore. "If you need to, we can meet with the guys and then head that way before we head home."

A smile crept to Litho's fuschia drenched lips and she nodded, looking up to him. "Yeah, I gotta get clothes and shit still. What time will your brothers be back here?"

"Around midnight. They probably won't wanna hang with us while we stop at your place...I'll just tell them to head home."

David smiled to himself. His brothers were probably hungry and he knew they would want to hunt for food tonight, like always. Chances are, they wouldn't want to wait up for David after Litho fell asleep later, if she even would. Litho seemed like the type to stay up late. They hadn't eaten all day anyways; their last meal being the freshly slain couple on the boardwalk last night. David would figure out a way to get food...if he got desperate enough, he supposed he could eat Litho. David sighed. Soon, he reassured himself. The temptation was so strong, but he knew it wouldn't be worth it. Soon, Litho would be accustomed to his brothers and their methods of feeding. Soon, she'd understand. She would maybe even join them.

"Shit, it's almost midnight now." Litho said and briefly glanced to the same clocktower, and then back up to David with a raised eyebrow. "...Where'd you park your bike?"

It took him a moment to respond, having to snap himself out of his own thoughts about the girl standing by his side."If you stay here, I can go get it and just pick you up. Sound good, sugar?" David responded with a coy, albeit generous smile.

"You sure? I can walk with you if you want me to." Litho suggested. She wasn't used to such politeness from the men she hung around. It was a pathetic fact, but it certainly wasn't common in Santa Carla.

David shook his head at her suggestion, his smile unfaltering. "No, babe, don't sweat it. Just wait for me here." He stepped away from Litho and climbed up the concrete seawall with almost inhuman ease. David then began to walk back to the distant parking lot that sat near the small cluster of stores and restaurants on the boardwalk.

Litho watched him walk into the darkness, into the dissipating crowd of people that still lingered around them. She was always surprised just how many people chose to stay out so late around here. Knowing that she was one of them though, she knew she could pass no judgement. Besides, there were some interesting characters on this boardwalk all the time; you had to be on guard quite a lot. Between the cat calling, fights, drinking, and many more, seedy things; there was hardly ever a dull moment.

Rolling her eyes a bit, Litho sighed amongst herself. Keeping true to her words and instincts, she looked around for nearby threats and bad signs. Everything seemed fine. Despite this, a small part of her now felt vulnerable without David by her side. Litho grimaced; ashamed that she was already getting attached to him this quickly. Even worse, she still couldn't even put her finger on just what it was about him that drove her insane. Perhaps that was for the best.

At least for now.

* * *

The clock above Litho read 12:05 by the time David returned to her, now on his motorcycle. She had been seated on the curb of the street near the stairway to the beach when he rode up to her with a grin, which she returned as she stood to meet him.

"Ready?" He shouted over the revving engine of his bike.

Litho responded with a nod before coming to sit behind him, then wrapping her arms around his waist tightly. Her heart began to beat a little faster as she pressed herself against him just a bit closer. She laid her head against his back, though it did smush her hair. It was a sacrifice worth making.

For a moment, Litho shut her eyes, nestling against the cool fabric of David's jacket. The sound of his purring motorcycle bled into the sound of the tide of the nearby sea like a lullaby. Litho breathed out contentedly and she could've sworn she heard David chuckle a bit. It sounded eeriely familiar. Before she could dwell on that though, his voice called to her once more.

"We're meeting with Marko and them at the entrance; I'm gonna tell them the plan and then we'll split to get your stuff, okay, doll?" David looked back towards her for a brief moment, then sped forward, then turned to go towards the entrance of the boardwalk. From where they were, the crowd of people still looked rather thinned out. Litho held in a relieved sigh at the sight; she was over the crowd for tonight.

"Alright!" She shouted back in response. "Will they be okay with heading home without us?"

Knowing the girl behind him couldn't see, David smirked darkly and nodded with a laugh. "Sugar, I'm sure they'll find something to do to pass the time." He glanced behind to her with a knowing smile. God, if only she could witness the beautiful carnage that would unfold. David knew her first kill would be amazing though if and when Litho was turned. It was only a matter of making the right moves now.

Speeding through the bright colours and lights of the midway and retail district of the boardwalk, the two eventually came back to the entrance. Of course, the rest of the boys had beat them to it.

Laddie was the first to see them, and he had said something to the others, making them look towards David and Litho with smiles.

"You're late!" Paul screeched out to them despite the distance. "Did you forget about us?"

David pulled up to the group and snickered. "Of course not; we just had business to attend to."

Marko was the next to speak up. "Oh, David, I never knew you were one to kiss on the first date!" He teased, making the group laugh, save for Litho and Star, who was seated behind Marko. She chose to divert her attention to Laddie, sitting behind Dwayne as he clutched his newly acquired stuffed animal he had won at the midway with Marko's help. Litho decided to just stay quiet, clinging to David a bit tighter.

The feeling of the girls grip on his waist reminded him of the other buisiness that needed to be done still. Advancing his bike towards the group a bit, David spoke to his brothers once more. "You all can head back up to the cave without us. I have to run Litho back home for a bit."

"Leaving so soon, lil' mama?" Marko asked her playfully with a smirk. "The fun's just beginning!"

"No way!" Litho laughed, raising herself from behind David to look at Marko with a smile. "I just gotta go get clothes and all that from my place."

"Why? You plannin' on hanging with us for a while?" Dwayne joined in, looking to David with a questioning expression. He knew his brother wasn't too keen on outsiders in the cave unless they would eventually become food.

David gave Dwayne a nod. "Litho's gonna be crashing with us for a few days...or longer, if she wants." He looked back to her with a soft smile, hoping it would mask his true intentions as just offering a safe space to the girl instead of an eventual trap. Litho laid her head in the nape of his neck in response, giving him a small kiss on his exposed skin.

Paul suddenly howled with excitement. "Well, I certainly don't mind!"

"Hell yeah! Sleep with me if you want to, _candy_." Marko winked, giving Litho a playful smile. "There's enough room in my bed!"

Litho rolled her eyes with a giggle. "I don't know how David would feel about that...But, there's plenty of me to go around. No need to fight."

The boys roared with riled-up laughter. Litho figured it was because of the obvious self riffing of her own curves, but she had no idea of their true intentions and thoughts.

"Believe me, we all know that." Dwayne said lowly with a chuckle.

Among the murmur of the boardwalk, the fraternity of brothers talked amongst themselves. David then noticed it was getting later. He had learned that the later they waited, the harder it was to find good food. Breaking the muffled talking of the circle, he spoke.

"Litho and I are gonna head that way. We'll meet you guys back home..." A pause as he looked to each one of his brethren. "Go get food."

Paul looked to him, concerned. It was unlike David to let them hunt on their own. "You sure, man?"

David just smiled. "Of course. I'm sure Litho and I will find something on our own."

The boys looked to each other and at the couple, wondering if David meant what they thought. Had he told her the truth already? Had the seed been planted so early? They figured not. David wasn't one to spoil the fun, either. He knew just what he was doing and how to do it without missing even half a beat. He had played this game with Star and he'd play it all over again with Litho; and David always won. Litho was only a pawn to him, just a small piece on the board of his plans.

The group then said their goodbyes and went their separate ways; David and Litho heading towards her house as the others made their way back to the cave. David was sure the boys could come across someone to feed upon. God knows what was lurking around Santa Carla at this time of night. He smiled at his own thoughts...weren't him and his brothers just part of the problem? Of course they were. They were just very good at keeping secrets. David only hoped that Litho would be the same.


	5. Chapter 5 Preview

David and Litho continued to speed through the many twisting and winding backstreets of Santa Carla as they made their way back to Litho's home. The sea air that surrounded them had grown cold after the sun had set, and Litho was thankful she had chosen to wear a sweatshirt tonight.

As they approached Litho's house, the rosy-haired girl felt the growing weight of dread in the pit of her stomach. It was a deep, sinking feeling of dread and it was intense. She let out a wavering sigh; David noticed and turned a bit to glance at her.

"You okay, doll?" He asked over the loud purr of his motorcycle.

Litho nodded. "Yeah…I just don't really want to deal with my mom right now."

Seeing her house in the distance of the darkened street they drove along, Litho strained to see if there were any lights on. When they pulled up to her home's mailbox though, Litho could see that the only light on was their lonely, flickering porch light near their front door. Litho sighed again, this time relieved.

"I'll go in with you if you want me to." David offered as he parked his bike.

Litho shook her head then stepped off of the motorcycle. "No; it's to risky. Just stay out here, okay?" She said, glancing back at her house for a second. "If you hear me start screaming bloody murder though…"

David laughed— this girl had dark humor. He couldn't help but wonder though, were her parents really that bad?

Litho gave him a small smile before turning to walk to her house. "I'll make it quick, trust me."

* * *

_Hey, loves! I know this is just a very small preview for the next chapter; but I did want to post something today just because of the date. The Lost Boys means a whole lot to me, it helped me a lot when I was struggling and I'm sorry that the updates on this story have been lacking so much. I should have chapter five done by tomorrow or the day after. Sorry this is just a tiny preview, but I hope you all look forward to the return of this story. Thank you so much for 50 follows on this! Love you all._


End file.
